Hornady SST's on elk

Does anybody have any experience using Horandy SST's on elk, or anything bigger than deer?

One of my two .264's just does not like my 130 grain Barnes TSX load. I've got a box of 120 grain tipped TSX's on my bench, but Barnes doesn't rate those for anything larger than antelope. I've also got a box of 140 grain SST's, Hornady's info compares it to there interbond, but I'd like to hear some real world results.

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BFE

April 9, 2009, 05:33 PM

I have taken Moose out to 425 yards with the 30 cal SST bullets and what a great job they did. They went through & broke both shoulder and ended up under the skin on the opposit side so I got a very nice look at them. They retained a decent amount of weight ( 60 to 80% ) and performed like they should have. I would highly recomend them for larger game any day of the week. Oh and they are amagingly accurate to boot.

hardluk1

April 9, 2009, 05:46 PM

The sst 139gr will work fine out to 400+ yards. I also like a x but at a 140 grain also. Just makes for a longer more stable bullet.

Despite the claims of many modern writers, elk are not equipped with armor plating. But they do not topple over the same as an animal weighing 300 lbs or less. Shoot 'em twice!

Do the math and its easy to discover that two chest strikes with .308 hits 'em harder than one shot from a 300 Weatherby. The 300 Weatherby shooter has not even lifted his bolt by the time a practiced .308 shooter already has the second shot into the animal. You will not read this TRUTH in modern magazines!

30-06 is still the most common elk rifle used by successful Wyoming residents each Fall. Whatever the 30-06 will do, the .308 will replicate nicely, indeed. Ditto for 308 Marlin and the new 30 caliber TC cartridge as well.

TR

bailer

April 9, 2009, 09:55 PM

Thanks guys! I was reading conflicting info on the SST's. It wa nice to read the first hand info on the moose.

I agree with the sentiment that elk aren't armor plated. I hunt with either a .264 win Mag or a .308 and don't feel under gunned with either. I do like to have a bullet that will get good penetration. I was concerned that the SSt may be a little too fragile. Glad to hear that it should work. Hopefully this Ruger can group reasonable well with them.

sonier

April 10, 2009, 02:08 AM

got me elk at 375 with mild 150 sierra spitzer boatails. DRT also grab an elk shoulder and take a 22LR and shoot it, the 22 lr goes through easily at 30 yards. as well as the legs of an elk. point is at 25 yards a 22 can penetrate the elks legs shoulderblades. so any caliber above .243 will do the job quite well. the 30/06 can REACH OUT FURTHER THAN A 308 WITH BETTER VELOCITIE AND lb/S keep it above 1800fps and your good! good luck!

cliffy

April 10, 2009, 02:59 AM

Can't you stalk closer? At 200 yards, your odds improve greatly regarding a quick kill. I have never fired beyond 250 yards for serious reasons: a swift kill. Bullet trajectory DROPS rapidly beyond 250 yards. What sort of cannon are you using? Even Annie Oakley knows her limitations and the limitations of her firearm. My .243 Winchester can and has dropped big Elk with 105 grain Speer Soft Points (1229) at 200 yards with 1665 ft/lbs of energy remaining. Check your ballistics from a reliable ballistics table before attempting foolhardy shots. Even a .300 Super Magnum, with rediculous recoil does NOT make one Master-of-the-Woods, which contains trees. Cliffy

cliffy

April 10, 2009, 03:39 AM

Maybe my own RULE, but a bullet let loose beyond three tenths of a second is errant in my opinion. In three tenths of a second a bullet from a good rifle should travel 250 yards. Hitting the "broadside of a barn" should take four tenths of a second. Beyond that "LUCK" becomes the master. Velocity versus gravity including windage factors rear they're ugly heads. A bullet hand-dropped at the muzzle reaches the ground at the same time as a fired bullet: law of gravity. Arching in a bullet from an elevated trajectory merely adds to ERROR up-down-and-sideways. Shooting a 1000 yards is "Trick Shooting" at best with very little retained bullet energy to puncture paper targets. A 400 yard deadly shot on game is "Trick-Luck" shooting at its extreme luckiness, regardless of caliber and powder charge. Cliffy

bucktail

April 10, 2009, 01:18 PM

In my opinion, Barnes is more than a little conservative when they rate their bullets for game. In my Barnes manual, they rate the .257 100 grain TSX for nothing larger than deer, but in the write up article for .257 Weatherby, the author mentions taking a bison with a 100 grainer in a wildcat with similar ballistics to the Weatherby. I'd be pretty surprised if the 120 TTSX in your .264 didn't exit an elk on anything other than a THS, and probably even then. The X bullets retain nearly all of their mass and expand to a relatively small frontal area. Pushing them faster, such as your .264 does won't make them expand any wider either, because the petals peel back to the shank, and the bullet doesn't expand any further. A cup and core bullet like the SST will expand larger and lose more mass the faster it is pushed. It isn't the bullet construction type that I'd chose for elk in a fast chambering like the .264, but 140 grainer in that diameter is pretty heavy for caliber and will probably do just fine as well as long as you don't need to shoot the elk lengthwise.

bailer

April 10, 2009, 07:04 PM

Interesting thoughts Bucktail. On paper the 115 .25 caliber bullet, which is rated for elk in #4 manual, looks pretty much the same as the 120 grain .264 which is rated for antelope only. I emailed Barnes, maybe there's a reason for it that I'm not seeing.

My wife claimed my tack driving Rem 700 .264 for herself. The stock was cut a little short by some previous owner, so realistically it was going to go to my son soon anyway. I've also got a Savage 99 in .308, but due to sentimental value I only like to hunt with it occassionally in good weather. I'd really like to get a good all around all copper load to work in the new Ruger .264. I plan on hog hunting in CA where copper is required, and every few years I'll draw a tag in AZ where it's requested.

hardluk1

April 12, 2009, 10:07 AM

The typical x will double its diameter but the biggest advantage is it will pass through on a side shot unless shooting at the shoulders and then it is apt to break both if not just one. I also like noisler Balistic Tips BUT if bullet placement is not good it can and will destroy alot of meat but most animals shot with bt's will drop on the spot of not allready running and then they are not going but several yards if lung shot. The newer BT's are a bit tougher than the old ones for larger wieght bullers. I have used the x more for heavier game and have alway been extreamly happy with them . Shooting a 7mm and 140 grain at mullies and elk. Shot one mule deer at 110 yards from the rear about 1 1/2' to the right of his,,,,,you know what , Found the bullet under the skin at the front shoulder. It broke the back in 4 places and 6 ribs as it was going forward with 54" of meat and muscle and bone to travel through. The hogs i have shot went through and out the other shoulder. I still shoot the sst now in the 7mm and have for some years in the hornady heavy mag factory loads and have been very happy with them.My 308 if hunting close shoots 125gr bT's or 150 x if more open area's. I friend moved to colarado some years back and would scout for us when we come out to hunt. He was carry'n just a 223 contender for coyote and come'n home walked up on a elk than he took on his own property with one shot and only 20 yards of travel. Bullet was a BT Its all about bullet placement as much as anything. Remember when the 30/30 and 30-06 was about it and then it was just soft points or maybe a brasstip on the 06.

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